Disclaimer: I don't own the Nightworld, however much I might wish
otherwise.
Author's Note: This chapter is kinda short, I got a little bit lazy and this is what came out of my head. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, I promise this story will pick up soon. The next chapter is Mary Lynette and Ash goodness.
"Who was on the phone, Mary Lynette?" Rowan's head poked over the rim of the kitchen doorframe, her face the image of innocence.
"As if you didn't know. It was Ash of course. He'll be here soon."
"I expected as much. But why do you look so unsure? Ash is your soulmate isn't he? Shouldn't you be happy he's coming back? The Ash I knew from the past wouldn't have looked back much less tried to mend his ways for anybody and here he is, back from a quest to prove and better himself for you Mary Lynette, nobody else, and you aren't celebrating? At first I thought you were having the senior in high school insecurities, but now that that is over and done with I'm not so sure, tell me what's wrong," Rowan settled on the dusty couch next to her. A cloud of particles clouded the air between them but the concern on Rowan's face was plain to see.
"It's not that I don't want to see him. I love him, in a weird sort of way, I really do. I can't imagine having what I have with Ash with anybody else. He loves me for me and I really value that, but at the same time.I have to find out who I really am before I go off and become a half to a bigger whole! How can I be what Ash needs if I can't even figure out what I need? I'm not entirely comfortable with this Nightworld thing either. It's easy to say that I believe and live with it on a small scale here with you and your sisters, but is there really a place for me out there? I have so many questions about this whole, running off with Ash like he's some sort of night in shining armor. Oh, that was a bad pun wasn't it?" Mary Lynette grimaced a half smile.
"I can see where you're coming from. I never really had to worry about the Nightworld or anything, I just was part of it, and so I can sympathize somewhat. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and problems to discuss about the subject, but maybe you should have this talk with Ash. Face to face. Mary Lynette, you need to sit down with him and tell him your feelings. You can't put off something like this, something this important. We're talking about soulmate kind of love, once in a lifetime and all that. How would you feel being locked in the dark trying to search for the lightswitch without any helping hand?" Rowan nudged Mary Lynette's chin with her fist.
"I'm not sure exactly what you meant by that, but I have a vague idea. I'll try to talk to Ash about this when he arrives. Just promise me that you'll be there in case anything goes awry," Mary Lynette reached for Rowan's cool hand and tucked it in her own warm one.
"Of course, what are sisters for?" Rowan gently squeezed.
* * * "Wow, Kestrel you've grown even uglier since I last saw you. Ever consider smiling?" Ash pestered his sister.
"How about I give you another grin to match that stupid one consuming your entire face, right across your throat. I think I have a nice sharp wood-"
"Okay, okay you two. Not in public! Goddess, can't you two get along for five minutes? Ash, here you are barely off the plane and already stirring trouble. Why did I even bother to come pick you up? I should have left you here and let you walk home at least then I would have an extra hour or so of peace!" Rowan parted the scowling Kestrel from the gamine faced Ash and bestowed to her roguish brother a warm and familiar hug.
"I missed you too Rowan, but since when did you become the boss of the family. Last time I checked I was in charge," Ash returned the embrace.
"Who's driving you home?"
"Point taken. Jade, come here and give your big ol' brother a big ol' bear hug!" Ash pulled away from Rowan and turned to a distant Jade who tried to remain somewhat invisible staring at a potted plant outside the terminal.
"Bite me," Jade sneered. She couldn't explain it, but she didn't want Ash back. Mary Lynette and her sisters made such a good and whole family, why did Ash have to come back now and ruin everything, especially when it was just getting good?
"With pleasure, but you're not my type. Hey, where is Mary Lynn?" Ash seized the first opportunity to point out his soulmate's absence.
"It's Mary Lynette, you dolt, and she had some last minute cleaning to do before you arrived," Jade jabbed Ash in the ribs.
"Oh, how sweet. The little woman preparing the homestead," Ash smiled and rubbed is smarting side.
"Don't let it go to your head," Jade chided.
"Or any other upright appendages," Kestrel added.
"Kestrel!" all three Redfern siblings shouted in unison.
The clerks at the desk gazed at one another in puzzlement. That was one weird family. As the Redferns walked off toward the pick-up trolley for the luggage and out the door the airport attendants gave a sigh of relief.
Author's Note: This chapter is kinda short, I got a little bit lazy and this is what came out of my head. I hope you enjoy it! Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter, I promise this story will pick up soon. The next chapter is Mary Lynette and Ash goodness.
"Who was on the phone, Mary Lynette?" Rowan's head poked over the rim of the kitchen doorframe, her face the image of innocence.
"As if you didn't know. It was Ash of course. He'll be here soon."
"I expected as much. But why do you look so unsure? Ash is your soulmate isn't he? Shouldn't you be happy he's coming back? The Ash I knew from the past wouldn't have looked back much less tried to mend his ways for anybody and here he is, back from a quest to prove and better himself for you Mary Lynette, nobody else, and you aren't celebrating? At first I thought you were having the senior in high school insecurities, but now that that is over and done with I'm not so sure, tell me what's wrong," Rowan settled on the dusty couch next to her. A cloud of particles clouded the air between them but the concern on Rowan's face was plain to see.
"It's not that I don't want to see him. I love him, in a weird sort of way, I really do. I can't imagine having what I have with Ash with anybody else. He loves me for me and I really value that, but at the same time.I have to find out who I really am before I go off and become a half to a bigger whole! How can I be what Ash needs if I can't even figure out what I need? I'm not entirely comfortable with this Nightworld thing either. It's easy to say that I believe and live with it on a small scale here with you and your sisters, but is there really a place for me out there? I have so many questions about this whole, running off with Ash like he's some sort of night in shining armor. Oh, that was a bad pun wasn't it?" Mary Lynette grimaced a half smile.
"I can see where you're coming from. I never really had to worry about the Nightworld or anything, I just was part of it, and so I can sympathize somewhat. I'm sure you have a lot of questions and problems to discuss about the subject, but maybe you should have this talk with Ash. Face to face. Mary Lynette, you need to sit down with him and tell him your feelings. You can't put off something like this, something this important. We're talking about soulmate kind of love, once in a lifetime and all that. How would you feel being locked in the dark trying to search for the lightswitch without any helping hand?" Rowan nudged Mary Lynette's chin with her fist.
"I'm not sure exactly what you meant by that, but I have a vague idea. I'll try to talk to Ash about this when he arrives. Just promise me that you'll be there in case anything goes awry," Mary Lynette reached for Rowan's cool hand and tucked it in her own warm one.
"Of course, what are sisters for?" Rowan gently squeezed.
* * * "Wow, Kestrel you've grown even uglier since I last saw you. Ever consider smiling?" Ash pestered his sister.
"How about I give you another grin to match that stupid one consuming your entire face, right across your throat. I think I have a nice sharp wood-"
"Okay, okay you two. Not in public! Goddess, can't you two get along for five minutes? Ash, here you are barely off the plane and already stirring trouble. Why did I even bother to come pick you up? I should have left you here and let you walk home at least then I would have an extra hour or so of peace!" Rowan parted the scowling Kestrel from the gamine faced Ash and bestowed to her roguish brother a warm and familiar hug.
"I missed you too Rowan, but since when did you become the boss of the family. Last time I checked I was in charge," Ash returned the embrace.
"Who's driving you home?"
"Point taken. Jade, come here and give your big ol' brother a big ol' bear hug!" Ash pulled away from Rowan and turned to a distant Jade who tried to remain somewhat invisible staring at a potted plant outside the terminal.
"Bite me," Jade sneered. She couldn't explain it, but she didn't want Ash back. Mary Lynette and her sisters made such a good and whole family, why did Ash have to come back now and ruin everything, especially when it was just getting good?
"With pleasure, but you're not my type. Hey, where is Mary Lynn?" Ash seized the first opportunity to point out his soulmate's absence.
"It's Mary Lynette, you dolt, and she had some last minute cleaning to do before you arrived," Jade jabbed Ash in the ribs.
"Oh, how sweet. The little woman preparing the homestead," Ash smiled and rubbed is smarting side.
"Don't let it go to your head," Jade chided.
"Or any other upright appendages," Kestrel added.
"Kestrel!" all three Redfern siblings shouted in unison.
The clerks at the desk gazed at one another in puzzlement. That was one weird family. As the Redferns walked off toward the pick-up trolley for the luggage and out the door the airport attendants gave a sigh of relief.